Don’t arrest Harish Rao, Telangana HC tells Panjagutta police
HYDERABAD: Justice K. Lakshman of the Telangana High Court directed Panjagutta police not to arrest or take coercive steps against Siddipet legislator T. Harish Rao with regard to the FIR (December 1, 2024) on the complaint of one Gadhagoni Chakradhar Goud, who alleged that his phone was tapped during the BRS rule at the instance of Harish Rao .
However, the court allowed the police to go ahead with the investigation. A notice has been issued to Goud, the defacto complainant, directing him to respond to the notices.
The court was hearing a criminal petition filed by Rao seeking quash of the FIR registered against him under Sections 120b, 386, 409, 506 read with 34 IPC & 66 IT Act, 2008 at Panjagutta police station.
Senior counsel J. Ramachandra Rao, appearing for the petitioner, submitted that the police had registered the FIR without conducting any preliminary investigation nor had they followed the procedure prescribed by the Supreme Court while issuing notices asking Harish Rao for his explanation. He also submitted that Goud had lost the Assembly elections to Harish Rao and had later filed election petition against Harish Rao’s election. He said Goud had made several attempts to book cases against Harish Rao.
Siddharth Luthra, senior Supreme Court counsel, representing the state government informed the court that Goud had first lodged a complaint with commissioner of police, Hyderabad, on November 23 stating that his phone and those of his family members were tapped and they are under surveillance. The complaint made on December 1 at Panjagutta PS was the second one.
Luthra, while advancing his arguments, said that the only remedy Harish Rao has in this case is in seeking an anticipatory bail and urged the court that Harish Rao should not be given any protection from arrest as photo-tapping was a serious offence. Luthra also submitted that the defacto complainant was informed by the Apple Company through an e-mail that his phone was being tapped.